Cranes



Oct. 26, 1965 w. BoczEK 3,2l3,575

CRANES Filed Sep'b. 15, 1962 Fig. 2

Jnvenlor: Valer Boczek United States Patent 'i 3,213,575 CRANES WalterBoczek, Skaldenweg 25, Hamburg- Meiendorf, Germany Filed Sept. 13, 1962,Ser. No. 223,495 Claims Priority, application Germany, Sept. 19, 1961,Sch 30,297 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-122) The invention relates to Cranes, beinga crane in particular which is used for erection purposes and comprisesa pillar and an upper head unit which carries the jib of the crane.

It is known in cranes of this kind to build up the pillar from belowfrom a multiplicity of elements or Sections, a so-called cage beingprovided at the head unit of the crane into which the separate pillarSections are mounted. The head unit and cage are then moved upwards, or"climb in other Words. Cranes of this kind are therefore also describedas climbing cranes, whose pillar may have a desired length variable inmagnitude. The extension of the pillar is carried out by means of ablock and tackle for example, in the case of known cranes. In order tosecure the head unit and cage during said extension of the crane, aswell as in its final position, known looking mechanisms are used whichmay consist of clamping jaws comprising oblique surfaces Operating inconjunction therewith, or which may be formed of cogs or bearingsupports.

A main object of the invention is to provide a crane, being an erectioncrane of the kind hereinbefore specified in particular, wherein simpleand safe 'climbing of the head unit complete with cage and jib ispossible.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crane, in the form ofan erection crane in particular, wherein the head unit of the crane maytogether with its cage be stopped and held fast in any desired position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hoisting device for thehead unit or the cap unit and cage, for a crane of the kind hereinabovespecified.

According to the invention, a crane with a jib comprising a pillar whichis built up from a multiplicity of sections, a head unit carrying a cagedisplaceable relative to the pillar and a bearer unit (for example aframe or girder) mounted on the upper end of the pillar, which bearerunit is connected to the cage carried by the head unit by means of ahoisting mechanism.

That is, the cage is telescopically displaceable along the pillar andcarries the jib of the crane. The bearer unit may be displaceablymounted on the pillar.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the hoisting mechanism isformed by a cog drive comprising racks and pinions.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the cog drive may comprisetwo parts displaceable independently of each other, one of which partscarries pinions while the other part carries two or more toothed racksadapted for engagement by said pinions.

Further according to the invention, the pinions may for this purpose bedisposed on the cage which is connected to the head unit of the crane,whereas the second part of the cog drive is formed by racks which areconnected to a bearer unit which may be mounted on the pillar,preferably the top section of the pillar. The second part of the cogdrive may simultaneously act as a guide for the cage or head unit duringthe hoisting motion.

According to another embodiment of the invention, this second part ofthe geared drive may comprise a frame which may be releasably mounted onor secured to the top section of the pillar and is provided with guidesurfaces on its outer parts whereon the cage or head unit is slidinglyguided during its upward displacement.

A 352135575 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 Further according to the invention,the frame or the part of the cog drive carrying the pinions may beprovided with two, four or more guide surfaces, whose outer surfaces arein contact with inner parts of the cage connected to the head unit.

The drive which is subsequently used to control or operate the crane,may be employed to actuate the cog drive, that is to hoist the head unitwith its cage.

An auxiliary drive system may be provided to operate the cog drive, bymeans of which drive the pinions are driven synchronously. Thisauxiliary drive system may be releasably attached to the outer side ofthe cage and preferably comprises an electric motor having a belt orchain drive actuating the pinions.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, anembodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGURES 1 to 4 respectively show diagrammatic part elevations of thepillar of a crane with a cage and a part of a head unit or of a jib, thefigures showing different stages in the climbing of the crane. FIGURE 5is a view transverse to that of FIGURES 2 and 3.

In FIGURE 1, the numeral 5 indicates generally a crane pillar comprisinga multiplicity of superposed Sections of suitable construction.

On the upper side of the top section 6 of the pillar 5, a frameindicated generally by the reference 7 is mounted, which frame issecurely but releasably attached in suitable manner to the top sectionand which is equipped with bearing supports 8 extending upwardly, onwhich supports the upper inner side of a cage indicated in generalmanner by the numeral 9 may bear. The outside of the frame 7 is equippedwith a multiplicity of guides 10, along which may slide the inner wallportions of the cage 9 during displacement. The frame 7 carries amultiplicity of racks 11, two are illustrated in the drawings, and inthese racks there engage two pinions 12 which are rotatably mounted inand close to the lower extremity of the cage 9. Two racks are adequatefor the embodiment of the invention, which racks are appropriatelydisposed in a central plane of the crane pillar opposite to each other.A head unit indicated generally at 13 and carrying the jib of the crane,is connected to the cage 9.

A device according to the invention operates in the following manner: g

Starting from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 and turning thepinions 12 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 1 by means ofan appropriate drive, the cage 9 'rises upwardly together With the headunit 13 and the jib, the teeth of the pinions 12 travelling along theteeth of the racks 11 until the position shown in FIGURE 2 is reached.

The cage 9 and cap unit 13 have thus been moved into an upper positionin which one or more additional sections can be accommodated in the cage9. Before this is carried out however, the cage 9 is secured on thepillar 5 by means of appropriate mechanisms, for example suitablelocking devices, so that the cage 9, the head unit 13 and the jib cannotmove further upwards. The looking device for securing the cage 9 to thepillar 5 may constitute any known or conventional device such as, forexample, pins or keys 20 passing through ears 21 in the cage structureand extending over and resting on an upper structural member 22 of thepillar 5. Alternatively, the pins or keys may extend transverselythrough aligned holes in parts of the cage 9 and of the pillar 5. In anyevent, it should be borne in mind that the purpose of the locking deviceis to temporarily lock the cage 9 against Vertical movement relative tothe pillars 5 while the cage 9 is in the position shown in FIGURES 2 and3 and especially while the Wheels 12 are turning as shown in FIGURE 2.

The connection between the frame 7 of the cog drive and the top section6 of the pillar is then released, and the pinions are driven in theopposite direction as shown by the arrows in FIGURE 2. The second part 7of the cog drive carrying the racks 11 consequently rises upwardly, theracks 11 travelling along the pinions 12 which now operate in aStationary position, until a position is reached in which the frame 7 isbrought into contact With the top inner side of the cage 9. Thisposition is illustrated in FIGURE 3, from which it is apparent, that theracks 11 have reached the upper limit of their position relative to thepinions 12. The cage 9 is now ready, in this position, to receive one ormore additional Sections marked 14, which are inserted into the cage 9in known manner (see the indicative arrow) and secured safely to theformer top section of the pillar 5.

The pinions may then be slightly turned in the opposite direction untildownwardly extending bearing supports 15 formed on the frame 7 arebrought to bear on the upper side of the newly inserted section orSections 14. The frame 7 or carrier of the racks 11 then being attachedto the section 14 of the pillar again if required. This position isillustrated in FIGURE 4. This position in FIG- URE 4 fundamentallycorresponds to the position in FIG- URE 1 with the difference, that oneor more new Sections 14 have now been fitted on to the pillar 5. Thelocking connection between the cage 9 and the pillar 5 is then releasedagain as by removing pin 20, and the pinions 12 are turned in thedirection shown in FIGURE 1, so that the cage 9 and the head unit 13 cannow climb upwardly again (FIGURE 2), the operation being continued untilthe desired height is reached.

The form of construction according to the invention has the advantage ofparticular simplicity and Safety, since on the one hand the cog driveassures positive displacement of the parts relative to each other, andsince on the other hand the entire construction comprises but fewindividual parts which can be produced in simple manner. Because of thefact, that the second part of the cog drive, namely the frame 7, isequipped with projecting guides, effective guidance is moreover assuredat the same time for the cage 9 during its upward displacement togetherwith the head unit 13, as well as excellent guiding of the Second part 7of the cog drive during its upward displacement from the position shownin FIGURE 2 into the position shown in FIGURE 3. Alternate andreciprocal guiding of the cage 9 and the second part of the geared driveis thus attained.

The use of a geared drive is not essential. According to the invention arope or chain drive or an analogous drive may advantageously be usedinstead of a cog drive. A hoisting mechanism of this nature wouldoperate in a manner corresponding to that of the cog drive.

A crane according to the invention may advantageously be utilised ondifferent fioor levels for example, for which purpose the mechanismcontrived for the Climbing of the cage may also be used to hoist thecrane as a whole from one floor level to the next.

What I claim is:

1. A crane of the type which is erectable in Situ, comprising a Verticalpillar and a head unit supported at the -top end of said pillar, saidpillar comprising a plurality of separate Sections which are joinablewith each other end to end to form said vertical pillar, a frame fixedlyattachable successively to each one of said Sections, said head unitcomprising a cage, which comprises side portions extending downwardlyand about the upper end portion of said pillar, lifting means associatedwith said frame -and said cage whereby actuation of said lifting meanswhen said frame is fixedly attached to a one of said sections causessaid cage to move vertically relative to said pillar and to said frame,locking means for locking said cage relative to Said pillar, said framebeing releasable from its fixed attachment with said pillar and beingmovable vertically relative to said pillar and to said cage a distanceslightly in excess of the Vertical height of any one of said pillarsections when said cage is locked relative to Said pillar whereby anadditional one of said pillar Sections can be attached atop said pillarbelow said frame and to the preceding topmost section in said pillar,and drive means for actuating said lifting means.

2. The crane of claim 1, wherein said lifting means comprises avertically extending rack gear fixedly attached to said frame and arotary gear rotatably mounted on said cage, Said rotary gearintermeshing with said rack gear, and means to rotate said rotary gear.

3. The crane of claim 2, including means to rotate said rotary gear inopposite directions whereby rotation in one direction with said framebeing fixedly attached to said pillar will cause said cage to movevertically upward relative to said frame and to said pillar, whilerotation in an opposite direction with said frame being released fromsaid pillar will cause said frame to move vertically up- Ward relativeto said cage and to said pillar. t

4. The crane of claim 1, wherein said frame comprises Vertical elementsextending along said side portions of said pillar and a transversebearing member connecting the upper ends of said Vertical elements, saidtransverse bearing member resting on top of said pillar and said cageresting on top of Said bearing member.

5. The crane of claim 4, wherein said bearing member comprises lateralguides engaging the side portions of said cage.

6. The crane of claim 4, wherein said transverse bearing membercomprises upwardly and downwardly pro.- truding bearing pieces, saidcage comprising a transverse portion connecting the upper ends of saidcage side portions, Said cage transverse portion resting against saidupwardly projecting pieces, and said downwardly projecting piecesresting against the upper end of said pillar.

7. The crane of claim 1, wherein said lifting means is actuated by anindependent driving means carried on said cage.

RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examner.

1. A CRANE OF THE TYPE WHICH IS ERECTABLE IN SITU, COMPRISING A VERTICAL PILLAR AND A HEAD UNIT SUPPORTED AT THE TOP END OF SAID PILLAR, SAID PILLAR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE SECTIONS WHICH ARE JOINABLE WITH EACH OTHER END TO END TO FORM SAID VERTICAL PILLAR, A FRAME FIXEDLY ATTACHABLE SUCCESSIVELY TO EACH ONE OF SAID SECTIONS, SAID HEAD UNIT COMPRISING A CAGE, WHICH COMPRISES SIDE PORTIONS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND ABOUT THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID PILLAR, LIFTING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FRAME AND SAID CAGE WHEREBY ACTUATION OF SAID LIFTING MEANS WHEN SAID FRAME IS FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO A ONE OF SAID SECTIONS CAUSES SAID CAGE TO MOVE VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID PILLAR AND TO SAID FRAME, LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID CAGE RELATIVE TO SAID PILLAR, SAID FRAME BEING RELEASABLE FROM ITS FIXED ATTACHMENT WITH SAID PILLAR AND BEING MOVABLE VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO SAID PILLAR AND TO SAID CAGE A DISTANCE SLIGHTLYIN EXCESS OF THE VERTICAL HEIGHT OF ANY ONE OF SAID PILLAR SECTIONS WHEN SAID CAGE IS LOCKED RELATIVE TO SAID PILLAR WHEREBY AN ADDITIONAL ONE OF SAID PILLAR SECTIONS CAN BE ATTACHED ATOP SAID PILLAR BELOW SAID FRAME AND TO THE PRECEDING TOPMOST SECTION IN SAID PILLAR, AND DRIVE MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID LIFTING MEANS. 